The present invention relates in general to an improved internal combustion engine, and more particularly, to an internal combustion engine that features continuous combustion. The engine of this invention employs tandem operating piston banks with one bank on either side of a centrally disposed spider drive member or power transfer member controlled under piston action for driving the output power shaft of the engine.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved internal combustion engine characterized by improved gasoline mileage and efficiency.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved internal combustion engine that provides for gas-air carburization within the engine block itself. Air is drawn into the engine block, into the cylinder below the piston, and then transferred and mixed with the incoming fuel whereupon it is introduced into the cylinder as the previously ignited mixture is exhausted.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved internal combustion engine that provides for more complete burning of the products of combustion.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an internal combustion engine having an improved power transfer member for converting the linear piston operation into rotary shaft motion.
Another object of the present invention is to provide winding means in association with the rotor of the internal combustion engine for concurrently generating electrical power directly from the engine.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved internal combustion engine that has a minimum number of parts, is relatively light in weight and that can be constructed relatively compactly.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved internal combustion engine that is of a fully balanced design.
To accomplish the foregoing and other objects of this invention there is provided an internal combustion engine that comprises an engine block having means defining a plurality of cylinders arranged in a circular locus. Preferably, the engine block has two banks of cylinders separated by a power transfer compartment which is between the banks of cylinders. The engine also includes output shaft means, means for supporting the output shaft means in a rotatable position in the engine block and a plurality of pistons received in a cylinder and each having connecting means extending therefrom and into the power transfer compartment. Each bank is provided with the same number of cylinders and thus the same number of pistons with corresponding piston pairs, one from each bank, being in linear fixed alignment. They are in fixed alignment with regard to the rotation of the output shaft but of course oscillate in a linear fashion. In the disclosed embodiment there is a common connecting means used for the aligned pistons. The engine block has means defining at least one exhaust port and at least one intake port for each cylinder. Rotor means are secured to the output shaft means and is rotatable therewity. For the two bank version, there is a rotor associated with each bank and the rotor has at least one intake passage for coupling an air-gas mixture to the cylinder via the intake port in the block. Within the power transfer compartment there is provided an eccentrically-operated power transfer means which converts linear piston action into rotary output shaft action. This power transfer means includes an inner member that is fixed with the output shaft and an outer member coupled to the piston connecting means permitting undulation of the power transfer means with the outer member non-rotating relative to the output shaft. The power transfer means also includes bearing means disposed between the inner and outer members for permitting relative rotation therebetween. The inner and outer members along with the bearing means form a plate which may be referred to as a modified swash plate which is at all positions, skewed to the axis of the output shaft means. The joint that interconnects the power transfer means and the piston connecting means includes a sliding joint that enables undulation of the outer member while maintaining the connecting means in only linear motion. In this regard the engine block preferably has means defining a guide for the piston connecting means to limit the connecting means to only linear motion.
The power transfer compartment is defined at least in part by an outer wall that is preferably partially open to facilitate air flow into the engine block. In accordance with one version of the invention the carburizing of the fuel mixture may occur within the engine without the need for a separate external carburetor for providing the gas-air mixture. There may be provided a filter means over the open compartment wall to filter the outside air entering the engine block. In this regard the rotor includes an air intake passage which permits air passage from the power transfer compartment to the cylinders in succession under each piston. This air intake passage may have blades associated therewith to force the air into each cylinder. The rotor also includes a transfer port which opens subsequently to push the air from under the piston into a mixing chamber within the rotor where the air is mixed with the fuel particles and thereafter passes through the air-fuel intake port to the cylinder above the piston. This occurs, of course, at the initiation of the compression stroke with the exhausting of gases occurring as new mixture is being admitted into the cylinder. In accordance with the invention the fuel is preferably coupled from a fuel supply under pressure to lines within the output shaft which connect to radial fuel coupling lines that terminate at a porous medium or membrane disposed within the mixing chamber of the rotor. Thus, as the output shaft rotates the fuel is centrifugally delivered through the porous membrane where the particles are broken down into atomized size and mixed with the heated air forced from the cylinder under pressure during the downstroke of a piston.
One important feature of the present invention is the provision for continuous combustion. In this regard the rotor is provided with an ignition passage or ignition recess which is positioned so that igniting gases from a previously ignited cylinder are conveyed to an adjacent cylinder when the piston in the adjacent cylinder is at about top dead center position to cause ignition at that position.
Electric heating coils or the like may also be associated with the ignition passage or recess to enhance ignition.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention it is possible to generate an electrical signal which can be used to power devices associated with the engine directly from the engine. In this regard the rotor can be provided with a magnetic circuit and a section of the block may define a stator having windings associated therewith from which an electrical signal can be coupled. The relative rotation between the stator and the rotor induces a voltage in the windings and when a load is connected to the winding, then voltage is established across the load. For example, the load could be a light, horn, or instruments associated with the vehicle.
In accordance with another important feature of the present invention there is provided an improved power transfer means which forms a part of apparatus for converting between linear motion and rotary motion. In the disclosed embodiment herein, linear motion from connecting rods driven from pistons is converted into rotary motion in the form of the rotation of an output shaft. However, in an alternate embodiment the engine could be converted to a compressor wherein the input is rotary motion and the output is linear motion. In accordance with this aspect of the invention there is provided shaft means, and power transfer means including inner and outer members inclined to the shaft means and an intermediate bearing means which may be a roller bearing for providing relative support between the inner and outer members. The inner member is fixed to the shaft while the outer member is essentially driven at its periphery by a linear motion member which in the disclosed embodiment is a connecting rod of a piston. The linear motion member is driven in a direction preferably parallel to the shaft means. The combination also includes a joint means preferably in the form of a universal joint disposed at the periphery of the outer member and supported thereby and for intercoupling the linear motion member to the outer member. In the disclosed embodiment there are a plurality of linear motion members which are driven in succession to provide peripheral forces to the inclined power transfer means transfer power through the bearing means to cause rotation of the inner member which in turn causes rotation of the output shaft. In an inverse sense, the shaft can be driven through the power transfer means to cause linear operation of the linear motion members. This arrangement may be used, for example, in a compressor.